According to the authors of the article, despite the common approaches to the interpretation of the term "fatherhood" or "paternity" (sociological and legal), it can be understood not only as a kinship of a man and his child, generating the respective rights and responsibilities. The authors define fatherhood as an educational institution, suggesting a pedagogically conscious and an active attitude of a father towards his child.

The article is based on a qualitative historical-sociological analysis of the general systemic crisis of masculinity and fatherhood. Its outcome is the authors` conception of scientific and practical support of the educational potential of fatherhood in the educational environment. This concept consists of the following elements: a new terminological construction, including such terms as "the educational potential of fatherhood", "a father-child interaction", "the language of a father-child interaction", "WE-conception" of a father-child interaction, etc.; a systematic, practice-oriented model of support of the educational potential of fatherhood, based on humanistic and ethic values, that is possible to use in a wide educational environment (school, kindergarten, other institutions); a fundamental psycho-diagnostic method of the fatherhood educational potential assessment and evaluation that can be used as a tool for monitoring the dynamics of every real "father-child" educational and upbringing practice.